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The latest Tourism Business Barometer report is now available. Findings, from the survey conducted in late February with 800 tourism businesses, indicate that around two thirds of businesses are taking advance bookings. Two thirds of these businesses report fewer bookings than usual, and only 1 in 10 have more than they would normally expect at this time of year.
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A further £150 million has been made available to support Welsh businesses in dealing with the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The additional support will help businesses in the hospitality, tourism, leisure and non-essential retail sectors that pay non-domestic rates and will operate as a top up to the Restrictions Business Fund. Read more on the Business Wales website.
As the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions ask people in Wales to stay local, Visit Wales has relaunched its Addo campaign, asking the people of Wales to make a promise as they start exploring their local communities once again to care for each other, for our land and for our communities. Addo means to promise and is about the people working together, making a collective promise to care for each other and our country. Asking people to make a promise is an engaging way for people to invest emotionally in Wales and to show that they care too.
By joining with us, and making a promise, we’ll all be playing our part - in caring for ourselves and others. The pledge can be signed on Addo: make your promise. Assets are available on an asset library for you to download and use within your own social channels and marketing to support the Addo campaign. The campaign creatives will also be available to view shortly - providing a flavour of the style, tone and messaging. As we move towards a phased re-opening, please be aware of the Welsh Government guidance for Tourism and Hospitality businesses. To help you decide which actions to take, Coronavirus Regulations require you to carry out a specific COVID-19 risk assessment, just as you would for other health and safety-related hazards. This risk assessment must be done in consultation with staff and representatives (recognised trade union or a representative chosen by workers) and be made available to staff.
HSE (Health & Safety Executive) provides useful templates to help you undertake a specific COVID-19 risk assessment that will take you through the hierarchy of controls from the most to the least effective. An overview of the hierarchy of controls can be found in Appendix 1 of the Tourism and Hospitality Guidance. You will also find links within the Welsh Government guidance to sector-specific and industry guidance containing further detail. The Welsh Government’s lunchtime announcement today (12/03/2021) that self-contained accommodation, including caravan parks, can reopen on March 27 has been welcomed by the organisation representing tourism and hospitality businesses across Mid Wales.
MWT Cymru, which has more than 600 members across Powys, Ceredigion and Meirionnydd, says the relaxation of the Covid-19 restrictions within Wales in time for Easter is good news for the tourism sector. From March 27, when the ‘stay local’ travel restrictions will also be lifted by the Welsh Government, people living within Wales will be able to enjoy a holiday break within the country. Only one household from within Wales can book to stay in accommodation. Visitors from other UK nations will still have to abide by their restrictions, meaning that non-essential travel to Wales and overnight stays are not allowed until April 12 at the earliest. Val Hawkins, MWT’s chief executive, said: “We welcome the Welsh Government’s announcement which will allow our members with self-contained accommodation, including caravan parks, to reopen to visitors from within Wales in time for Easter. “Wales is the first country in the UK to relax the Covid-19 restrictions in this way and that is due to the hard work and discipline of local communities within Wales to drive down the infection rate. “Some of our members with self-contained accommodation have been gearing up to reopen in time for Easter, but not all will be reopening, as there are still significant restrictions in place. “Our advice to people who plan to visit Mid Wales after March 27 is to ensure that you book directly with self-contained accommodation that has Covid-secure measures in place and has ‘Good to go’ accreditation. “The safety of local communities is the first priority for all our members. Self-contained accommodation will only be allowed to take bookings from a single household until the restrictions are further relaxed. “Whilst there will still be significant restrictions in place, it’s a long-awaited opportunity for people living within Wales, who have been in the current lockdown for three months, to escape to the outdoors and there is nowhere better than Mid Wales to boost your health and wellbeing. “We are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to Mid Wales from other parts of the UK when it’s safe to do so.”  Tributes have been paid to Julian Burrell, OBE, a leading tourism figure in Wales who championed the industry for more than 40 years, who died at the weekend.
Julian, who was 76 and lived with his wife Anita near Tregaron, was a founder member and former chair of the Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA), which represents the nation’s tourism industry. In 2006, he was awarded an OBE for his services to tourism and received a National Tourism Award in 2010 for his outstanding contribution to the tourism industry. Julian was senior partner in Wales Holidays, a letting agency for more than 500 self-catering cottages, from 1978 to 2013, recognising tourism’s wider value and benefit to Wales. He was volunteer chair of the WTA for eight years from 2002-‘10, a role he relished and was able to represent the industry in the Senedd and Westminster. He was tireless in championing the value and wider economic benefits of tourism. One of Julian’s most memorable experiences as WTA chair was having afternoon tea and a discussion about tourism with the Prince of Wales on board the Royal train between Carmarthen and Cardiff. Amongst his many roles, he was a member of the Wales Advisory Tourism Panel from 2007-’11, advising ministers for tourism within the Welsh Government and was also a founder member of the Wales Association of Self Catering Operators (WASCO). Julian remained active in his retirement, using his vast knowledge to provide content and itineraries for MWT Cymru and the Visit Mid Wales website. WTA’s current volunteer chair, Andrew Campbell said: “Julian’s passing is a very sad loss to tourism in Wales. He was a most influential figure who strove to make a difference and succeeded. “When I became WTA chair, he reached out to wish me well, a gesture fully in keeping with his gentlemanly approach to life... courteous and thoughtful at all times, qualities that define our industry.” Val Hawkins, MWT Cymru’s chief executive, who worked closely with Julian for decades, said: “The tourism sector in Wales has benefited greatly from Julian’s wisdom and passion for more than 40 years. “He was a Life Member of Mid Wales Tourism and we were all delighted when he was awarded an OBE in 2006 in recognition of his contribution to tourism and. We shall all miss Julian.” Jonathan Jones, CBE, former Visit Wales tourism and marketing director and chief executive of the former Wales Tourist Board, said: “Julian was so influential in the world of self-catering and also the wider tourism field. “Although very softly spoken, he had an iron will and a great business brain. Wales tourism is a poorer place without him.” Picture caption: The late Julian Burrell. From Saturday 13 March:
From Monday 15 March:
From Monday 22 March:
A review will take place on 25th March and, if the public health conditions continue to be favourable, from 27 March:
Self-contained accommodation includes:
A further review on 1 April will consider whether all remaining shops and close contact services can reopen on the 12 April. This is in line with planned re-opening in England https://gov.wales/stay-local-wales-takes-first-steps-out-of-lockdown The First Minister also announced an additional £150m to support businesses to the end of March, which are not yet able to open. The extra funding will see businesses in the hospitality, tourism, leisure and non-essential retail sectors that pay non-domestic rates qualify for an additional payment of up to £5,000.
https://gov.wales/extra-150-million-support-businesses-wales The Welsh Government’s lunchtime announcement today (Friday) that self-contained accommodation, including caravan parks, can reopen on March 27 has been welcomed by the WTA Member organisation representing tourism and hospitality businesses across Mid Wales. MWT Cymru, which has more than 600 members across Powys, Ceredigion and Meirionnydd, says the relaxation of the Covid-19 restrictions within Wales in time for Easter is good news for the tourism sector.
From March 27, when the ‘stay local’ travel restrictions will also be lifted by the Welsh Government, people living within Wales will be able to enjoy a holiday break within the country. Only one household from within Wales can book to stay in accommodation. Visitors from other UK nations will still have to abide by their restrictions, meaning that non-essential travel to Wales and overnight stays are not allowed until April 12 at the earliest. Val Hawkins, MWT’s chief executive, said: “We welcome the Welsh Government’s announcement which will allow our members with self-contained accommodation, including caravan parks, to reopen to visitors from within Wales in time for Easter. “Wales is the first country in the UK to relax the Covid-19 restrictions in this way and that is due to the hard work and discipline of local communities within Wales to drive down the infection rate. “Some of our members with self-contained accommodation have been gearing up to reopen in time for Easter, but not all will be reopening, as there are still significant restrictions in place. “Our advice to people who plan to visit Mid Wales after March 27 is to ensure that you book directly with self-contained accommodation that has Covid-secure measures in place and has ‘Good to go’ accreditation. “The safety of local communities is the first priority for all our members. Self-contained accommodation will only be allowed to take bookings from a single household until the restrictions are further relaxed. “Whilst there will still be significant restrictions in place, it’s a long-awaited opportunity for people living within Wales, who have been in the current lockdown for three months, to escape to the outdoors and there is nowhere better than Mid Wales to boost your health and wellbeing. “We are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to Mid Wales from other parts of the UK when it’s safe to do so.” The Prime Minister, in a range of transport initiatives launched today (10/03/2021) has announced that the UK Government will launch a consultation this spring on reforming Air Passenger Duty tax in order to boost air transport connections within the UK. The Government will also be exploring new requirements to offset emissions and continue to decarbonise aviation. The consultation will include options to change the APD treatment for domestic flights, such as reintroducing a return leg exemption or creation of a new lower domestic rate and will look at the case for increasing the number of international distance bands.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/move-to-boost-transport-connections-across-the-whole-of-the-uk Also as announced in the budget is that the SEISS scheme is being extended until September 2021. The guidance on the fourth grant has been published with the details. The grant will be set at 80% of 3 months’ average trading profits, paid out in a single instalment and capped at £7,500. It will take into account 2019 to 2020 tax returns and will be open to those who became self-employed in the 2019/20 tax year. The rest of the eligibility criteria remain unchanged. The online claims service for the fourth grant will be available from late April 2021 until 31 May 2021 and will be followed by a fifth and final grant.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-employment-income-support-scheme-grant-extension/self-employment-income-support-scheme-grant-extension The UK Government has also announced changes to the time and circumstances when a 100% tax charge may arise in relation to Self-Employment Income Support Scheme payments. It enables HMRC to recover grants where an individual was entitled to the grant at the time of claim but subsequently ceases to be entitled to all or part of the grant. It also extends the Treasury’s regulation making powers in relation to charges if a person is not entitled to a coronavirus support payment, to bring the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme within scope of the legislation. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updates-to-tax-charges-when-a-person-is-no-longer-eligible-to-self-employment-income-support-scheme-payments/updates-to-tax-charges-when-a-person-is-no-longer-eligible-to-self-employment-income-support-scheme-payments |
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